For His Daughter
by Sailor Elf
Summary: When both Catlanda and Marok disappear after an attack by invaders, Ardeth risks everything to find and rescue them and keep the promise he made years before.
1. Invasion

Disclaimer-They aren't mine. Never will be mine. (Boo hoo. I like Ardeth!) Any unfamiliar people, animals and other things are mine. 

Summary-When both Catlanda and Marok disappear after an attack by invaders, Ardeth risks everything to find and rescue them and keep the promise he made years before.

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For His Daughter

A set of eyes watched a woman and man walk through a temple and up to a wall. The wall was covered with hieroglyphics and the woman was excited as she looked at them as a young boy ran up behind them.

"How do you know we're not being watched?" asked the man.

"Noone's been in here for years, probably centuries," she replied. "So there's no need to worry."

"That's what you said about the last temple we were in. Remember what happened then?" Rick told her. "And about that cat?"

"Oh please. How was I supposed to know that Ardeth's people were also keeping an eye out for Ramses as well as Imhotep?" Evie asked him.

"I guess even people who we know for a while can even surprise us with things that we won't expect. Like having a daughter for one thing?" Rick muttered. "And I hope he's doing okay."

"Rick, it's been almost three months since they were in London. I'm pretty sure they're feeling better," Evie told her husband.

Rick shrugged his shoulders as he and Alex started off into the other direction as she continued to decipher the markings on the wall when suddenly, Rick felt something brush against his legs. He screamed, catching Evie's attention.

"What? What's wrong?" she cried.

Rick jumped back and aimed his guns at the animal standing before him. Rick's eyes were wide open as he stared at the now purring ball of fur.

"Isis?" he said with obvious shock in his voice as he lowered his guns.

The cat walked over to him and wrapped around the still surprised American's legs. She looked up at him as three voices could be heard laughing nearby. The three saw Catlanda, Marok and Ardeth atop their horses. They climbed off and walked over to them.

"Isis, what have I told you about scaring our friends, the O'Connells?" Catlanda asked the cat with a laugh as she stroked her head.

"It's nice to see you again Ardeth. Wow, you're looking much better than the last time I saw you," Rick told him with a huge smile.

"I feel much better O'Connell. I have had much rest in the past few months. Marok has helped me as did Catlanda. I've been told they were great help to the rest of the tribe as well," replied Ardeth.

"Really? How?" wondered Evie.

"Well, it is said to me that both of them gave my second-in-command a lot of help. And a bit of trouble as well. Isn't that right Catlanda?" Ardeth said with a smile.

"I keep telling him that everything that he's heard is a lie, but will he listen to me? No! All because of a few mishaps around the camp in the past," said Catlanda.

"Though I've learned over the years not to listen to everything you say about occurences like those," replied Ardeth.

She held out her arms as if to say 'you know me'.

"Come on Rick, Evie and Alex. Let's go back to the camp. We can talk further there," Ardeth told the family.

The three Medjai climbed back onto their horses as the O'Connells did with their camels before heading back to the Medjai camp.

Once there, Ardeth walked over to his second, who was waiting for them and talked to him quietly. Rick watched his friend.

_'Wonder what they're talking about? Must be something important if Ardeth's second-in-command came to tell us,'_ thought Rick.

Ardeth walked back over to them.

"He tells me that there's people nearby that are a major threat. We have to careful for these people can be very unpredictable," Ardeth told them.

"I'm ready for them. I'm always ready," Catlanda said, taking a fighting stance.

"I'll believe that when I see it," smirked Marok.

"Hey! Just because I'm not a big strong man like you doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. After all, I do have the Spire," Catlanda protested.

Marok started to laugh but was cut short when he heard screaming coming from behind him and several men came charging onto the scene. Swords and guns were drawn. The men attacked the Medjai before Rick decided to fire his guns.

Ardeth blocked the oncoming blows as did Marok and Catlanda. She was driven past the tents and into the desert. Isis joined her as she blocked the blows. The cat growled, causing her master to turn.

"Isis, what're you doing out here?" she asked in slight surprise.

"Bad mistake woman," the man said as he hit the Medjai on top of the head with the butt of his gun.

She fell to the sand unconscious. Isis quickly ran away from the man once she saw he was after her. The man growled as the lynx slipped past his fingers. He cursed.

Marok was dealing with another man when he heard footsteps running up behind him. He quickly turned around to find another man there.

"Oh no you aren't," Marok said as he blocked the attack.

He hurried out from between the two men, causing them to crash into each other.

"See if you can top that," Marok smugly told them, crossing his arms.

He didn't see the man approach him from behind and he was knocked forward onto the sand. His vision was blurred for a moment before he could see again. He felt himself being lifted up off the sand and he soon faced the man who picked him up.

"What do you want from us?" demanded Marok.

"It's none of your business," the man replied as he shoved Marok back to the ground.

Marok felt his arms being pulled behind his back and tied together at the wrists. He was forced to his feet again.

Rick kept reloading and shooting his guns, keeping them away from his wife and son, who held onto each other behind him.

"Get back!" he told them, looking over his shoulder.

"Alright Rick," Evie called back as the two ran for a nearby tent.

Rick continued on with his barrage of bullets at the oncoming men.

Ardeth was doing much better than what he originally thought because of his recent recovery from the gunshot and stab wounds.

"You're doing well. I never thought you people did so well," the man he was fighting told him.

"You should see all of us working together," Ardeth replied through gritted teeth.

They fought until both were without swords. Then it was all fists from there.

Ardeth blocked every punch until one kick hit him in groin area. He gasped before another wave of pain went through his head and shoulders and he fell face first into the sand.

The man who attacked him looked around at the scene to see they were swiftly losing because of the swiftly growing number of Medjai who arrived to help. His scowl soon turned into smile despite all that.

"Fall back! We got what we came for! Let's get going!" he cried.

The invaders dropped off from what they were doing and disappeared into the desert. The Medjai were quite confused when the men did this.

Evie and Alex soon joined the group of Medjai. Rick was about to follow them when he saw Ardeth lying motionless on the sand. He ran over to him and gently shook his shoulder.

"Ardeth, can you hear me?" Rick said to him.

He gave a relieved sigh when he heard a moan coming from the Medjai. Ardeth's eyes fluttered open and stared at Rick with a blank look on his face. The American didn't like that at all.

"Ardeth, are you alright?" asked a worried Rick as he went to help his friend.

"I'll...survive," he replied as he slowly climbed to his feet.

A woman ran over to them. She was obviously a healer to Rick as she led him to a nearby tent. Along the way, Rick noticed Ardeth limping a bit.

Ardeth laid down on the bed on his stomach and allowed the healer attend to her business. She moved some of the ripped pieces from his back to reveal a long gash across his shoulders. Both she and Rick gasped at it.

She motioned for him to leave and he reluctantly did so.

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A little while later, Evie walked inside the tent to see Ardeth sleeping on a bed, on his back facing the door. She was about to walk outside when she heard a voice.

"Evelyn, don't go," she heard.

She turned around and walked over to him, who had put a hand up to his face.

"What is it Ardeth?" she asked him.

"How's Catlanda?" he replied, his eyes partly open.

"I don't know Ardeth. I haven't seen her since before the battle," replied Evie, a worried look growing on her face. _'At least he's coherent.'_

His eyes closed and Evie knew what he was thinking.

_'He must be worried out of his skull right now,'_ thought Evie.

She remembered the special bond he had with her since she was a baby. She remembered the story Ardeth and Catlanda told her about her biological parents the year previous when Ramses II was resurrected.

Suddenly, a fellow Medjai ran inside the tent.

"I'm sorry to bother you Ardeth but neither Catlanda nor Marok have been seen since the battle," the man said in Arabic.

Terror filled the Medjai's eyes once he heard that one statement. He lifted himself onto his elbows as he looked at Evie in total fear.

A scratching came from the opening of the tent. The Medjai opened the door further only to let Isis inside. Ardeth's heart dropped all the way down into his stomach once he saw what was in her teeth.

It was the Spire of Isis.

TBC..


	2. After the Fight

The next thing Catlanda was aware of was someone calling her name. She squinted her eyes and quickly rose to a sitting position to see Marok sitting next to her. She rubbed her head.

"What happened? Where are we?" she asked him quietly.

"Where we are, I couldn't tell you. I was unconscious almost the entire trip here. You've been out since the attack," he replied. "And it looks like we're the only two Medjai here. We were taken prisoner."

She looked around at their prison. She balled her hand up into a fist before realizing that she was grabbing nothing but air.

She didn't have the Spire.

"Oh no! Where is it?" she screeched as she stared at her empty hands.

Marok groaned.

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice that just yet," he admitted.

"And I was hoping you could tell me where to find it," came a voice.

Two sets of eyes looked to see someone standing outside the cell. The man was tall, and fully clothed in midnight black robes. A piece of cloth covered his entire face except his eyes.

"I demand you tell me where the Spire is," he told them, his voice muffled through the cloth.

They looked at each other before staring back at him.

"We have no idea what you're talking about," Marok told him with a laugh.

"Oh yes you do. Both of you do. I saw you with during it during the battle. That cat of yours took it before any of my men could. Where would that accursed cat take it?" the man demanded, refering to Catlanda.

"I wouldn't tell you even if I knew," Catlanda replied in her rare 'defying orders' tone.

"Wrong answer," he said. "I will be back and that time, I won't be as lenient."

He turned their back on them.

"Before I go, you should know my name. It's Altaram," he said before finally walking out the door.

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He walked outside to be greeted by a woman.

"So did they talk?" she asked, her waist-length black hair flowing down her back.

"No, they did not. But they soon will. I'm sure of it. If not them, I'm sure Ardeth will gladly listen to me," he replied.

They gave each other an evil smile.

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Back at the Medjai camp, Ardeth was literally going out of his mind. He was sitting on the bed only to have Rick and Evie trying to keep him down.

"You must let me go. I have to find them," he told them as he tried to get away from his friends.

"Ardeth, you just received a concussion and you have a severe cut across your shoulders. Besides that, you're just getting over some pretty severe wounds. You're in no shape to go looking for them. They could be dead now for all we know," Rick told him.

Ardeth turned his head and stared into the American's eyes. Rick saw a feeling of dread and urgency he never saw in his friend's eyes before.

"I will not accept that until I have seen it. I have to go find them," Ardeth replied as he looked away. "You don't have to understand, but you have to trust me now more than ever."

Rick sighed as he loosened his grip off Ardeth and helped him to his feet. Ardeth limped out of the tent and up to Geb, who was right outside. Isis was sitting right next to him. It's as if they knew and were waiting for him to come.

His second-in-command ran over to him.

"Ardeth, you can't go! You're in no shape! Besides, you have things to do here," he said.

"I have to go Sharak. I just have to. She's out here and..." he started.

"I know how you feel but we can't keep going after every missing Medjai after a battle. It's just not possible!" Sharak cried out.

Ardeth looked at him with determination in his eyes.

"I, at least, have to Sharak. If I don't, I would feel guilt for the rest of my life," Ardeth replied as he attempted to climb on the horse.

"You're risking this entire tribe's safety by going after her. She's a woman. Even though she helps us just as much by keeping that Spire, she's expendable!" he yelled at him.

"No, she's not expendable! You don't understand! You'll never understand what I'm going through right at this moment," Ardeth replied, anger obvious in his voice as he walked up and faced Sharak.

"No, I'm not, but I do know when a man is endangering others by his actions," Sharak told him. "By you going out after her, you're risking your life and many more here by leaving us leaderless even for a short time. If you take out others, you're risking thier lives as well."

Ardeth stared at him with a strange look.

"You know, you're just as bad as your brother was. Never listened to authority," Ardeth said, starting to walk away from him.

Although, the animals also seemed to know what was wrong with him. Geb nudged Ardeth in his back with his head and looked at him with eyes that said a lot. Isis gave a mournful cry. Ardeth couldn't help but sigh.

"Maybe you should listen to the opinion of many Ardeth," came Rick's voice.

Ardeth looked over at him, but all he saw was blurry images as he collapsed onto the sand.

"Ardeth!" cried Rick as he ran over to his fallen friend.

"It must be some effects from the concussion still. He's still crazy to go after them," Sharak mumbled, crossing his arms in disgust.

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Altaram went to meet the prisoners. He walked up to their prison. Catlanda was huddled in the corner while Marok sat beside her. He looked up at the man.

"What do you want now?" asked an upset Marok.

"The same thing I did before except I also want to know about your leader," replied the masked man.

"He's same as any other one," Marok replied.

"I never see my leader. I'm always on the go," Catlanda softly said. "So I would have no idea what he is like."

"I see," the man said, lifting his eyebrows. "You will not tell me. Guard, let me in."

The door was opened and Catlanda was given a slap across the face, causing her to fall to the sand. Marok was a bit surprised.

"Why you..." he started but was pushed to the ground. Hard. _'This guy's stronger than he looks.'_

Altaram started to leave and Marok wasn't surprised.

Once he left, he turned towards Catlanda.

"Will you be alright?" he asked her.

She gave a slight nod before staring at him with sad eyes. She held a hand over where she was struck.

"What's wrong?" he wondered.

"The Spire. I don't have it. I've failed Ardeth by not having it. He gave it to me watch over and now I don't have it," she whispered, staring to cry.

Marok put his arm around her, trying to comfort her as she sat crying.

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Outside, Altaram heard the crying. He peeked back in the tent to see the scene.

_'I don't care who you are. I will get what I want, one way or another,'_ he thought to himself.

He walked away to his tent.

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Evie sat by Ardeth's side as he slept on the bed. She held a cloth on his forehead as a fever began to rise. She took it off and felt it as Rick walked in.

"He's getting worse. I fear he's getting either sick or an infection," Evie told him quietly.

"As much as I want to see Catlanda and Marok safe, we can't risk sending anybody out to rescue them. Besides, Ardeth has to get better then deal with his duties here," Sharak said from the opening of the tent.

Rick and Evie looked at him, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the moment.

"What are we supposed to do then? Watch as Ardeth crumbles down to nothing? I don't know about you, but I don't want to see that happening," Rick replied.

"I cannot deter from your position. That is how you feel about this," the man said before leaving.

Rick watched him as he shook his head.

"I will never understand that guy," Rick told Evie pointing a finger in the direction that Sharak left in.

"Don't let him bother you. Now let's go get some sleep," Evie suggested.

"But I don't think I'll get any. I'll try though," Rick said before he left the tent.

Evie gave one last look at Ardeth before she also left the tent and followed her husband.

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Just before dawn, a lone figure rode atop a horse as it sped out into the desert. The rider stopped the horse on top of a dune and looked across the landscape.

He then looked from where he came and shook his head with a sigh.

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Evie awoke before Rick did. She rubbed her eyes as she stood up.

_'I'll go see how Ardeth's doing,'_ she thought.

She walked into the tent Ardeth was resting. She saw his form sleeping on the bed.

_'He's sleeping. I'll let him be,'_ thought Evie.

She turned to leave until she saw the still form wasn't moving. She walked up to him and pulled the covers off his head only to scream.

TBC...


	3. Sick and On the Lookout

I hate 'em! I hate 'em! I hate 'em! If you're wondering, I'm talking about hockey. National Hockey League hockey. New Jersey won and I wanted Anaheim to win. (Anaheim good. Anaheim VERY good). I'll shut up now about how much I hate New Jersey and continue on with the story. (I hate 'em!)

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Rick and Sharak ran into the tent and up to Evie, who was crying.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked frantically, holding onto her shoulders.

She didn't say anything, only looked at the bed where Ardeth was supposed to be sleeping. Rick followed her gaze to see that he wasn't there. Only pillows in place of him.

"Oh my. He is in very serious trouble," Rick said.

"He's out of his mind to go after them now. Why try and change his mind anyway? He won't stop until he finds them," Sharak snorted. "I can remember one time she got lost in one of the temples and once he heard about it, he wouldn't stop until he found her."

Rick stared at the Medjai before stomping up to him and grabbing his collar.

"Listen to me and listen well. I know that you're the second-in-command around here but a good friend of mine is in the desert, alone, sick and injured. Now I don't plan to exactly leave him there to the torment of those guys or the desert. We're going to look for them," Rick angrily replied.

"'Them'?" asked Sharak with a strange look.

"Yes, them. Ardeth, Catlanda and Marok," Rick confirmed.

Sharak angrily looked at the American as he freed himself and walked away from the tent.

"You know, I don't think he approves of Ardeth being in command and his strong relationship with Catlanda," Evie piped up.

"Neither did Marok until I knocked some sense into him," Rick reminded her.

He walked out of the tent and headed for the camels. Evie began to follow him.

"You're going now?" she asked him.

"Someone has to otherwise he'll die out there. I have to find him before he dies trying to save them," Rick replied as he climbed onto one of the camels. "By the way, is the Spire still in there?"

Evie ran back into the tent and looked beside the bed. She gasped for it wasn't there. She must have missed the fact it wasn't there when she saw Ardeth was not in the bed. She headed back outside to meet an anxious Rick.

"It's not there," she replied.

"I might have known. He took it with him. It's the only explanation," Rick quietly told himself.

Evie said nothing as he started off into the desert.

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Ardeth sat atop the horse, drinking some water out of the canteen. Geb snorted as Isis cried beside them. Ardeth looked down at her.

"We'll find her Isis. We'll find her," he told her.

He put away the canteen and wiped his forehead. He was feeling really hot.

Up ahead, he spotted some green land. He squinted his eyes to see that it was an oasis.

_'Finally,'_ he thought. _'Shelter and water.'_

He led Geb towards the ever growing patch of green. Once there, he climbed off the horse. In his hand, was the Spire of Isis. He laid it on the sand before taking a drink out of the pond.

Isis stayed by his side, ever watchful for strangers. Geb stood nearby, eating some grass.

"Come on, let's go find them," he finally told the animals.

He stood up and a wave of nausea came over him. He felt something moving within his stomach.

"It might be the concussion I suffered during the battle," he gasped. "Either that or I am becoming ill."

He stood beside the horse, leaning against him. Geb neighed loudly and Isis gave a growl as Ardeth suddenly fell to his knees beside them. He vomited onto the ground.

"I wasn't feeling well before I left. It must be an illness," he said quietly, slipping into a deep sleep against a nearby rock.

Isis whimpered as she nudged his side but he didn't seem to notice anything anymore, not even the approaching men.

00000

Rick rode through the desert, looking carefully from side to side with any hope of finding his friend. He thought he wouldn't be too hard since Ardeth was probably wearing his black robes.

"But of course in the desert, it's like finding a needle in a haystack," he said to himself as he stopped the camel.

He took that time to take a look around the area.

"Where could he be?" he asked aloud before he started on his way. "Where could they all be?"

Altaram again walked into the cell. He watched the two Medjai as he walked up to it.

"What do you want?" asked Catlanda in a small voice.

"The same as I did before. The location of your leader and Spire," he replied.

"Which we'll never tell. Especially not you," Marok snarled back at him, leaping at the bars and holding onto them.

Altaram took the butt of his sword and shoved it into his stomach. Marok gasped and he sat back down on the sand. The masked man pointed it the other way and aimed it at Catlanda.

"Tell me now or she will die," he demanded.

"No!" cried Marok.

"Never! I would rather die than give up the location of my people!" she cried.

"Wrong answer," Altaram said. "Now, you shall die, just as you wished."

The man put his finger on the triggor and fired the gun.

TBC...


	4. Greed and Misunderstanding

The bullet traveled out of its current position and embedded itself into Catlanda's upper arm, almost at her shoulder. She was thrown back onto the sand. She gasped out in pain as Marok hurried over to her.

"What have you done?" he asked, facing her attacker.

"It will be much worse than that later on if you do not cooperate if you do not tell us where your leader is and where the Spire is," Altaram replied with coldness in his voice before leaving.

Marok looked at Catlanda's shoulder. It hit the arm she usually carried the Spire with. He placed a piece of his clothing there with some pressure.

"You're going to be fine Cat," he whispered to her.

She nodded before she fell asleep right where she was.

Outside, the woman was waiting again for him.

"What are you doing Altaram? You know we need those two alive," she told him angrily.

"You think I don't know that Tarnay? I'm simply making an example out of them. Don't worry, they'll tell us. Then pay for it with their lives," he replied as he walked right past her.

She watched him do so with a small smile on her face.

"We'll get what we want," she said. "The they'll die along with their precious leader."

The three men walked up to oasis only to meet a growling Isis.

"Calm down kitty. We won't hurt you," one said with a smile.

"That's odd. I've never seen a cat who sticks around after being approached by strangers," the second whispered to himself.

The cat continued to growl at them. They were very confused with this action until one saw Ardeth laying unconscious on the sand behind her.

"There's the reason why. The cat's protecting him," he whispered to the others.

The other two looked at the unconscious man behind the cat. One raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"He is injured. We must do something about him before he wakes up," he replied as he faced his comrades.

"No, we'll wait until he does. We have to see why he is out here first," the third replied with an evil smile.

Isis stopped growling and sat by her master's father, an ever watchful look on her face, allowing the men to walk up to them.

Sharak walked up to Evie, who was right outside Ardeth's empty tent. He looked around.

"Where is Rick? I have not seen him for some time," he asked her.

"Um, he went to see if he could be any use to the other members of the tribe," she lied.

He glared at her as he sensed something was wrong.

"Where is he Evelyn?" he demanded, grabbing her wrist.

"I told you already," she replied as she struggled to free herself.

"How come I don't believe you?" he replied.

"Believe what you will. I'm telling the truth," she replied.

"No you're not. He's gone after Ardeth already! Why didn't he wait for me or anyone else?" he cried, letting her go and storming away from her.

Evie appeared to be very angry with him.

"He couldn't wait because you wouldn't go, remember?" Evie called to him.

Sharak stopped in his tracks, not turning around to face her.

"Ardeth's a good friend of ours. Always will be. He's helped us many times before against the evils of this world. If we didn't help him when he needs someone the most, then we couldn't exactly call ourselves his friends, could we?" Evie explained angrily as he twirled around.

The two took a long stare between each other before Sharak broke it and stormed away from her.

Tarnay walked into the tent to greet the two 'guests'. Marok looked at her with distaste in his face.

"Do you think I'm here to question you? I'm not. I'm here to warn you. You will die if you don't tell what we want to know. No doubt about that," she explained with a smile on her face the entire time.

Marok didn't say anything as she walked back out of the tent.

"Ardeth, I hope you stay away this time if you know whats good for you," he whispered to himself. "I am capable of surviving this and so is Catlanda. Neither one of us wants you to get hurt further."

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Ardeth groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He put a hand to his head as he became fully aware of his surroundings. He faintly heard Isis growling and Geb neighing.

Then he became aware of the gun stuck in front of his face.

"Who are you? What are you doing all the way out here in our territory?" demanded one of them.

"My name is Ardeth Bay. My daughter and her friend were kidnapped. I'm here to try and find them," he replied quietly.

The world spun before him as he put a hand up to his head.

"All lies. We will take you to our leader. He will decide what will happen to you and these pathetic animals," the third snorted.

"First, I'd like to know what I can call my captors by," Ardeth asked of them.

"Carasy," the first replied.

"Thransh," the second replied.

"Rasca," the third replied. "Now move it. Get up on your horse and we'll be on our way."

Ardeth slowly stood up and walked away from the rock.

"Move more quickly or we'll shoot you," Carasy ordered him.

Ardeth sighed as he climbed onto Geb. He looked back at the three men before looking back at Isis.

Isis was hiding behind the rock, watching the three take Ardeth away from her. She laid down as she whimpered for she felt she left her master down by letting Ardeth get captured.

Beside her, laid the one thing thing they left behind next to her. The one thing they didn't see to take with them.

The Spire of Isis.

TBC...


	5. Captured!

Rick hurried in his current direction in his futile search for Ardeth. He had already searched for some time with no luck at all.

"Where could you be Ardeth? This place is so huge, you could be anywhere. Those two could be anywhere," he muttered to himself.

He stopped the camel and gazed around the desert once more until he saw something in the distance. Something glittering in the golden sun. It appeared to be in a speck of green

"What on Earth is that out here in the middle of the desert?" he wondered as he started the camel back up once more and headed for whatever was in the distance.

00000

Ardeth was slowly going in and out of conscious in the scorching sun, the three men carefully watching his every move.

_'I feel like I'm going to be sick again,'_ he thought to himself as he put a hand on his head and looked down at the sand.

"What's wrong? You sick or something?" asked Thransh with a laugh.

"If he is, the leader going to have much fun with him," Carasy snickered.

"Look, we're almost there," Rasca told them, pointing ahead of them.

Ardeth glanced back up to see what the man was talking about only to see several tents appearing in the distance. His eyes widened as they became closer.

Ardeth gasped as he saw people milling about, doing everyday chores.

_'There's an entire village here. How come we never came across them before now? We do, after keep an eye on the area around Hamunaptra and the surrounding temples,'_ he wondered, his mind filling with questions that he knew he couldn't possibly ask yet or would get answers for.

Rasca stopped his horse by a tent. Geb had no choice but to stop since he was bound with a rope that the man held. Thransh also stopped his horse. Carasy kept going past the tent.

"Carasy will go find our leader so he will know you are here. He will have much pleasure in knowing you are here. And also knowing him, he will not be gentle with you. He never is with anybody," Rasca told him with a huge smile on his face.

A feeling of dread came over Ardeth once he heard those words as he allowed the man to force him into a nearby tent.

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Rick jumped off the camel once he arrived at the oasis. He glanced from side to side, looking for whatever he saw just moments earlier. He scratched his head in confusion.

"Now what did I just see and where is it now?" he asked himself quietly.

He wandered over to a nearby rock where he noticed a patch of oddly coloured sand.

"Now that's weird," he said as he knelt by it.

He reluctantly put his fingers in it and lifted it up to his nose. He sniffed it and scruched his nose in disgust. He shook his hand to get it off.

"Disgusting. It smells like...vomit. Ardeth must've been here then. He's either sick or it's from the concussion. I've got to find him before he gets even worse," Rick said with a sigh before climbing back to his feet.

He turned towards the camel to continue the search for Ardeth when he heard a growl coming from behind him. He turned around to see where it was coming from only to be greeted by claws and fur.

00000

Evie watched as Sharak climbed onto the horse. He pretended not to notice her as he did so.

"Sharak, why won't you talk to me?" she asked him.

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"Ever since this morning, you've been avoiding me. I just want to know what's wrong," she told him as she neared the horse.

Sharak was facing the horse the entire time although the last statement made him face her.

"You really want to know Evelyn?" he said.

She nodded as he turned away from her.

"It's you and your husband. You have been our allies since you defeated The Creature more than ten years ago. I was against it from the beginning when the others agreed to it. Marok followed my opinion ever since he could understand what was happening. As for Catlanda..." he started.

"...she was trained not to trust foreigners as they were not of her people, the Medjai. They are not to help her, but are probably after the Spire or jewel," Evie finished for him with a nod of the head. "Yes, I know the story."

Sharak's eyes widened with this news.

"She trusts us because she knows we don't want either thing. Soon after the incident with Ramses over a year ago, Rick began to trust her as she did him. Marok learned that same lesson a few months ago when he went to London and Rick talked some sense into him," Evie told him.

Sharak looked away from her before leading the away horse from her.

"I know where he'll be headed," he said before heading into the desert.

Evie watched him leave.

"Just make sure all three of them come back alive," Evie whispered. "And Rick as well."

00000

Ardeth was patiently inside one of the tents, although in much pain. His shoulders began to hurt to no end, his head was spinning around in circles and his stomach felt upside-down. He feared he would vomit again. He already did once since his arrival at the camp.

Suddenly, somebody walked into the tent, blinding him with the bright sun. It was Carasy and he was holding a sword in his hand.

"Get up. Our leader will see you now," he commanded.

Ardeth slowly climbed to his feet and walked out of the tent. Carasy was leading the way as Rasca stood behind them.

The Medjai was getting several stares and whispers.

"Who is that?" he heard one say.

"Don't know. They must be taking him to see the leader. I just hope he lives through the ordeal," another said to a friend.

"He looks dangerous," a third said.

It felt to Ardeth that a rock was dumped into his stomach. He didn't know if it was feeling sick or from the statements he just heard.

The three walked up to a tent and stopped in front of it. The man in front of Ardeth faced him.

"You will wait out here until you are called inside. I will tell him you're here," he replied before walking inside.

He disappeared before anything else could be said or done. Soon, Ardeth was pushed face first onto the ground inside the tent. He held his churning stomach and winced a bit in pain as he lifted himself to his knees.

"Must be a sickness. It has to be," he muttered to himself.

"Well I'll be. It's the great Ardeth Bay, finally coming to see me. It is my honour," came a voice.

Ardeth looked to where the voice was coming from. He saw a tall man standing before him.

"I know you recognize me," he said as a woman walked up behind him. "Myself and this lovely woman right here next to me."

Ardeth stared at the two people before him. Even through the cloth on the man's face, he still recognized the fire in the man's eyes

"No. It can't be you two. Both of you should be..." he started, trying to squirm away from them.

"Dead? Were you going to say 'dead'? No we didn't die Ardeth. Now it's your turn to pay the price," he said to him as he walked closer to the injured Medjai.

TBC...


	6. A Few Answered Questions

Author's Note-I felt like updating twice in one day. So I did. Hope you enjoy it. =;)  
  
******  
  
"Altaram and Tarnay. I never thought I'd see you two again," Ardeth told them, anger slightly evident in his voice.  
  
"Yes, it is us. I didn't think you'd recognize us after all these years. After we were banished from the Medjai tribe after that small and meaningless incident all those years ago," Altaram replied, removing the cloth from around his face.  
  
His face had the same tattoos as Ardeth.  
  
"That was no 'meaningless' incident nor was it 'small'. Both of you caused turmoil in the entire tribe and nearly cost several their lives," Ardeth argued, breathing heavily.  
  
"That's gone and done Ardeth. Now since you have been delivered right into my lap, we will have much fun with you. Especially since we can see you have been caught at a bad time," Altaram said with an evil smile.  
  
He advanced torward the Medjai leader and lifted him to his feet. Tarnay walked over to them and punched Ardeth in the stomach.  
  
Now his stomach felt worse than ever before. He thought for sure he would've vomited right on Altaram but Ardeth dropped right onto the sand. He held himself up as he spit out the vomit that was now in his mouth.  
  
"That is only the beginning, old friend. There will be more soon enough. Put him in the tent with the other prisoners," Altaram replied with a smirk.  
  
Ardeth glanced up at him once he heard that. He knew it had to be Marok and Catlanda. He prayed that they were both safe.  
  
***  
  
Catlanda laid in the corner of the tent, half asleep. Marok sat near the front of their cage, watching and waiting for somebody.  
  
"I wish there was something we do to stop these guys," he muttered to himself.  
  
He stood up and walked back to Catlanda, who was still in dreamland despite his movements.  
  
Suddenly, he heard footsteps outside the tent. Marok snapped his head towards the opening as he heard the obvious signs of a struggle. Someone was about to join them.  
  
Two guards brought in the new prisoner in. Marok gasped when he saw it was Ardeth being thrown inside with them.  
  
"Ardeth," he said, his eyes wide open.  
  
The Medjai leader looked at him before a smile crept upon his face.  
  
"Marok, you're alright. Where's Catlanda?" he asked as he crawled over to him.  
  
Marok sighed as he looked over at the corner. Ardeth followed his gaze to see her there, not moving.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Ardeth reluctantly asked.  
  
Marok waited a moment before answering.  
  
"She's been shot by Altaram, Ardeth. In her shoulder. I managed to stop the bleeding but she needs better help before it gets worse," Marok replied with a shake of his head.  
  
Ardeth's heart fell even further than his stomach once he had a better look at her.  
  
***  
  
Rick fell backwards onto the ground, a weight keeping him pinned down. He felt something licking his face. His hands managed to find the creature on him and push it off.  
  
What he found was that his 'attacker' was Isis.  
  
"Isis, how're you? What are you doing out here all alone? Shouldn't you be with Ardeth?" Rick asked her, knowing that she couldn't answer him.  
  
Isis whimpered as she walked away from him to behind the rock. Rick narrowed his eyes as he followed her movements.  
  
"What's wrong? What's back there?" he wondered.  
  
He got up and walked towards it as she pulled out the Spire from its hiding spot. His shoulders now were slumped as he saw it. He picked it up and put a hand on his face.  
  
"This must've been what I saw just now. There's no way he would've left without it. He was taken prisoner, no doubt by the same men who took Catty and Marok," he growled. "They will so pay for this."  
  
He climbed back onto the horse.  
  
"Isis, which direction did they go in?" he asked the cat.  
  
The lynx started to sprint off into the desert and Rick promptly followed her.  
  
***  
  
Sharak's horse raced across the desert.  
  
"Please, let me find them. I need to find them," he pleaded.  
  
He stopped atop a sand dune and looked around before he returned to his search.  
  
***  
  
Ardeth sat beside Catlanda. Marok watched him carefully.  
  
"Ardeth, what's wrong?" he asked.  
  
Ardeth snapped back to reality and gazed at the younger Medjai.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" he replied.  
  
"Besides of the fact you're more agitated than what you usually are? No, there couldn't possibly be any reason at all," Marok sarcastically replied.  
  
"Cut the sarcasm Marok. There's something on my mind yes, but it's something that doesn't involve you or Catlanda," Ardeth replied.  
  
"I don't think so. I mean, both her and I were brought here for a reason. Now you show up and your mind is off somewhere else. Now what is it?" Marok demanded of him.  
  
"Daddy?" came a quiet voice.  
  
Ardeth looked to see Catlanda was now awake.  
  
"Catlanda, are you alright?" Ardeth asked her, worry in his voice.  
  
"Why aren't you back with the others? You're hurt and you need to get better," she whispered to him.  
  
"I came for you sweetheart. I have to keep it no matter what. No matter what," he replied, the tears in his eyes as he gave her a hug.  
  
The conversation was cut short when Altaram and Tarnay walked into the tent.  
  
"Good afternoon everybody. I suppose you all have become aquainted now," Tarnay said with a smile.  
  
Altaram glared at Ardeth, who never noticed it.  
  
"Guards! Take him out. I'm going to have some fun with him now," ordered Altaram, pointing at Ardeth.  
  
Two guards went in and grabbed Ardeth by his arms. The pain in his shoulders increased with the movement. He cried out in pain. He could barely stand on his own two feet as the two held him up.  
  
"Ardeth, no!" cried Marok.  
  
"So, it appears you are injured as well as sick. Interesting," Altaram mused. "Bring him!"  
  
They walked out of the tent, leaving Marok and Catlanda vey distraught as they looked at each other.  
  
***  
  
Ardeth was dragged to Altaram's tent, where the man produced a whip.  
  
"You can kill me but you'll never get away with this. Catlanda would hunt you down to the ends of the Earth if you did and she managed to escape," Ardeth told him.  
  
"Oh really? Why do you say that now? How is she related to you?" Altaram wondered with curiousity in his voice.  
  
Ardeth didn't answer him but looked away instead.  
  
"You won't tell me. I'll find out soon enough but first..." he said, turning to face the guards. "Expose his back."  
  
The clothing was ripped from his back and he was positioned so that it faced Altaram. His eyes widened at the already nasty cut on Ardeth's shoulders. Tarany smiled from beside him.  
  
"So this must be the injury you must have suffered just recently. Very interesting indeed," he smirked, lifting up the whip. "Besides, consider this as payback for everything."  
  
He snapped it down on Ardeth's back and continued on, causing him to cry out each time.  
  
***  
  
Catlanda heard the cries as did Marok. Tears were streaming down her face as she covered her ears to block the cries of pain.  
  
"No, this can't be happening. This can't be happening," she said quietly said to herself.  
  
Marok wrapped his arms around her. He brought her closer to him.  
  
"There's nothing we can do for him now except wait and pray," he whispered into her ear.  
  
TBC... 


	7. Help is on the Way

Author's Note-Is there someone wanting to kill me now for that last chapter? Or this one maybe?  
  
******  
  
Ardeth was breathing heavily as he now lay sprawled in the sand. He could feel the blood flow freely from the several wounds now covering his back. Altaram was laughing at this scene as was Tarnay.  
  
"I never thought it would be this easy to bring down the mighty Ardeth Bay. Now will you tell me what significance the woman is to you?" he said.  
  
"Never. I won't let you harm her further," gasped Ardeth as he tried to climb to his feet.  
  
Altaram snapped the whip again, hitting Ardeth's back which caused him to fall back down to the sand.  
  
"I will harm her whether you tell me anything or not. I saw her with the Spire and she knows how to use it," he replied.  
  
He walked over to Ardeth and roughly picked him up by his collar.  
  
"I will torture you until you tell me what her importance is to you or until you're dead. Whichever comes first," Altaram told him quietly.  
  
"Then you shall end up killing me for I will never tell you," Ardeth replied, spitting in his face.  
  
The man dropped Ardeth and wiped the saliva from his face.  
  
"You will pay for that. Keep him on his stomach," came the order.  
  
Ardeth resisted very little as he felt hands keep his arms and legs pinned to the ground, his back still exposed to the air. Pain soon overtook Ardeth as he felt one last crack of the whip hit his already painful back. He cried out in pain.  
  
"Take him back to the other two. I'll deal with him again later," Altaram ordered the guards, putting the whip back where he found it.  
  
Ardeth was taken back to the tent where Catlanda and Marok impatiently waited. He was thrown inside in a heap.  
  
The two gaped wide-eyed at his back.  
  
"Oh no, Ardeth!" she cried as she hurried over to him.  
  
The two looked over his obviously sore back. The blood still continued to flow free from the many wounds.  
  
"If I only had the Spire. We could get out of here and get him help," Catlanda said, her head drooping.  
  
"It's not your fault Cat. Right now, let's do what we can for Ardeth," Marok assured her.  
  
***  
  
Isis stopped at the top of a sand dune with Rick stopping right behind her. In the distance, they saw what looked to be like a village.  
  
"Great work Isis. That's probably where those three are. I just hope that we make it in time to help Ardeth. He must be in terrible shape by now," Rick said, lifting his arm.  
  
In his hand was the Spire.  
  
"And I've got to get this back to Catty," he whispered.  
  
The two hurried towards the buildings in the distance, hoping they could find their friends.  
  
***  
  
Tarnay ran into the tent to see Altaram sitting on the bed. He looked her way.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, climbing to his feet.  
  
"There's someone coming this way on a camel. He's probably here to rescue Ardeth and those other two," she replied.  
  
He stood up and headed over to the opening. From there, he saw a figure slowing coming in their direction.  
  
"It looks like we're going to have company. I feel obligated to welcome our guest," Altaram snickered, heading back inside the tent.  
  
He grabbed his sword and walked out of the tent again.  
  
Tarnay watched him go.  
  
"I have to congratulate this man for his bravery. He's going to give his life for his friends," she said before following him.  
  
***  
  
Catlanda held Ardeth's head on his lap as Marok tore pieces of his robe off to cover the wounds. She even ripped some pieces off hers and laid it on the painful wounds. She gazed over him. What she saw was a great leader brought down to nothing. His once shining hair was now limp and stuck to his face from sweat and his face looked like that of a sleeping child. They both noticed his heavy breathing.  
  
"I wish I didn't have to see him like this Marok," she told him.  
  
"I don't either but neither one of us can help the fact that he was struck with a whip. This must be so painful," he replied as he wiped away some blood.  
  
At that moment, Ardeth groaned. He lifted himself to a sitting position and put a hand up to his head. He blankly looked at them both.  
  
"Ardeth, how're you feeling?" asked Marok, a hand gently on his back.  
  
"I'm not sure. It hurts all over," he quietly replied.  
  
"Father, I worry for your safety. Please don't get yourself killed because of me," Catlanda pleaded of him.  
  
Ardeth looked at the sad eyes before him. He put a hand on her shoulder as she unconsciously grabbed at something invisble beside her.  
  
"Catlanda, you need to know something. I made a promise to your real father just after you were born. I gave him my word that no harm would come to you if anything should happen to him. That I would not let anything happen to you. I don't intend on breaking it now after all these years," Ardeth explained to her beofer wincing in pain.  
  
"You'd rather die than see me harmed by the hands of these enemies," she said, looking away from him.  
  
Ardeth put an arm around her and nodded.  
  
'But if you only knew the nature if this evil,' Ardeth told himself before a look of pain swpet across his face.  
  
He slumped forward into their arms. They lowered him to his stomach. They both saw he was unconscious again.  
  
"He's lost too much blood. From this and the slash wound he received before coming here. And the concussion as well. I don't think he's going to make it this time if we don't get him help right away," Marok told her with a solemn look.  
  
Catlanda looked devestated at this.  
  
"No," she said, shaking her head as she hugged her father.  
  
***  
  
Rick neared the camp as a man walked out of it. He stopped the camel as did Isis, who growled.  
  
"My name is Altaram, leader of this tribe. What is your business here?" the man called out to him.  
  
"I'm looking for some friends of mine. Two men and one woman. Do you know where are they?" Rick called out to him.  
  
"I'm sorry, we have not seen them," the man replied.  
  
Rick neared the camel to the village before climbing off. As he did, he noticed the Spire was emitting a small glow. He was curious on why it did that until it came to him. He faced Altaram.  
  
"How come I don't believe you?" Rick posed him.  
  
"Why would you not believe my word? I tell you the truth. Nobody here has seen them," the man replied.  
  
"I hate to disappoint you but I have my ways of knowing and I say they are here. Now where are they?" Rick demanded, a smile on his face the entire time.  
  
"And what is this way?" wondered Altaram, concern creeping into his voice.  
  
"I'm not telling you bub until you answer my question first. Where are they?" Rick angrily replied.  
  
Altaram snarled.  
  
"You're in cahoots with them. You will die before find them," he yelled.  
  
Rick barely had time to register what was going on as the man charged at him with a sword.  
  
***  
  
Sharak noticed the village in the distance and hurried towards it.  
  
"What's this? A village all the way out here? This wasn't here before," he quietly told himself along the way.  
  
He soon came to it and saw Rick being charged at by the man. Sharak's eyes widened as he watched the scene play out.  
  
Rick ran back to the camel and grabbed the Spire, holding it out as a weapon to defend himself.  
  
"The Spire! You have it! Give it to me!" Altaram ordered.  
  
"Let me think here...no. What makes you think I'm going to do a stupid thing like that? Especially since you don't know how to use and the one who does isn't here?" Rick sarcastically wondered.  
  
"I lied. She is here and she always will be. If she does leave, she won't be breathing," he replied.  
  
TBC... 


	8. Showdown

Marok put pressure on Ardeth's wounds. He was gasping for air in his sleep even as the younger man did so. Catlanda was trying to help from her slightly awkward position as Ardeth was still using her lap as a pillow. Ardeth was squirming away a bit in pain.  
  
"Calm down Ardeth. I never said this wouldn't hurt. We have to stop the bleeding," Marok told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Cat, I can do this."  
  
She stopped and started to stroke Ardeth's lifeless hair as he laid there.  
  
"I'm really sorry it has to be like this," sighed Marok as he eyed Catlanda.  
  
"I am as well. He's risking his life to keep a promise he made years ago," Catlanda sighed.  
  
She suddenly jerked her head up and quickly glanced from side to side. Marok stopped what he was doing and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"What wrong?" he asked as he started up again with what he was doing.  
  
"Can't you feel that? It's an exceptionally powerful force of some kind. As if it were within the village. Are you sure you can't feel it?" she replied.  
  
He nodded, still very confused at what she meant as a smile creeped upon her face.  
  
"What is it?" he asked impatiently.  
  
"It's the Spire. It's here!" she quietly said.  
  
Marok's eyes opened wide.  
  
***  
  
Rick blocked each of the attacks that were delivered against him by the man before him.  
  
"You will never win. I will get that Spire and kill the prisoners, starting with Ardeth," Altaram told him.  
  
"Really? Yeah right, not if I can help it," Rick replied as he swung the Spire at him.  
  
He was blocked by the sword.  
  
"Spire, sword. Um, please," he asked it his nicest voice possible.  
  
"I am sorry, I cannot. I only take orders from the one that I was entrusted with," the Spire replied.  
  
Rick rolled his eyes.  
  
"Perfect. I can't even USE this bloody thing," he said with an exasperated sigh as he blocked another attack.  
  
"Which is precisely why I've got the girl. She will use it for me as long as she wants her dear friends alive. Especially Ardeth," Altaram told him.  
  
Rick's mouth opened all the way to the sand.  
  
"Blackmailer. I'll make sure they all get out of here safe, with or without the use of this thing," Rick snarled as the two continued to deflect each other attacks.  
  
***  
  
Sharak defended himself against the oncoming men until he could no longer. His arms were pulled behind him and shoved to where the battle was taking place between Rick and Altaram.  
  
By what he saw, it looked like Rick was losing the fight.  
  
"Rick, no. Don't let him win. Please don't let him," he whispered to himself as he continued to watch.  
  
Rick was struggling against the man, his teeth bared.  
  
'If only...if only I could use the Spire. It would help a great deal at the moment,' he thought.  
  
***  
  
"You're kidding me right? The Spire's here? In the village? Who has it?" Marok quickly asked the questions.  
  
"Calm down, give me a moment. I have been around the Spire since I was about twelve. I've grown accustomed to the faint pulse it gives off. This is the first time I've been away from it ever but I can still feel it here. It also gives off a negative or positive pulse, depending on who is carrying it at the moment," she explained.  
  
"Really? You can tell exactly who is carrying it?" Marok wondered.  
  
"Not exactly but if the person is either friend or enemy and it feels like...an ally. Rick must be here! It's got to be! Oh no," she replied, turning her head away from him.  
  
"What? What's the matter?" he cautiously asked.  
  
"He can't use it. Only I can. The Spire only listens to me," she said with a sigh.  
  
They heard a noise near the entrance of the tent and in walked Isis and it looked like she had a grin on her face.  
  
"Isis. Seeing you here gives me the courage," Catlanda said happily.  
  
***  
  
Outside, Rick was pinned to the ground, the Spire still in his hand.  
  
"You have been defeated. Before I kill you and take the Spire from you, I want to tell you something. My entire tribe here is banished," he said to Rick as his sword sat very close to the American's head.  
  
"Really? Why?" Rick sarcastically said.  
  
"We were all a threat to our tribes. I had a few friends once. One's name was Cathanak Duray," Altaram said.  
  
Rick's face curiosity now.  
  
"Who's that and why?" he asked.  
  
"My wife and I were banished soon after his child was born with a certain Alna Marn when we caused terror throughout the tribe. Sadly, they lived through it as did a certain Ardeth Bay," Altaram replied, pulling down the cloth so Rick could see the tattoos.  
  
"Ardeth? What did you do to him?" Rick demanded.  
  
"You're in no position to make demands but I will tell you. I did nothing really. All I did was strike him several times with a whip," Altaram calmly said, looking at his hand.  
  
His glare returned to Rick.  
  
"Cathanak was my friend as was Ardeth and Alna. I loved her though she cared more for her husband and their friend than me. Especially after she and Cathanak wed and had their child. Two died and the third wouldn't give me a second look after their deaths. He had more important things to do. Cathanak and Ardeth were best of friends and neither really looked my way after a time. I simply gave the surviving member of the trio a dose of his own medicine. Pain and hurt which cannot be fully healed like what I suffered by their hands," he replied, lifting his sword.  
  
"Spire!" screamed a voice.  
  
Sharak, Rick, Altaram and all the other men there looked to where it came from. The yellow eyes glowed bright at the voice. Rick gave an inward sigh.  
  
"Oh no. What is she going to do with it?" Altaram said, obviously scared as he dropped his sword.  
  
"Until you are back in my possession, you will listen to what Rick O'Connell has to say. Help him with whatever he needs," cried the voice.  
  
"It is done," the Spire said.  
  
"NO! IT CAN'T BE!!!!" screamed Altaram as he grabbed his hair.  
  
The entire Spire glowed bright in Rick's hand.  
  
Once it dimmed, Rick stood up, ready to get the show on the road.  
  
"Not this is something that I like. Now pick up your sword as I get one myself. Spire, sword," he commanded.  
  
A sword appeared in his hand as Altaram reluctantly picked up his.  
  
"Now I call this a fair fight," Rick said as he charged at the man.  
  
The American was now overpowering the once dominant man. He managed to back him into the corner of a tent.  
  
"This is pathetic. I really think your hopes were too high," Rick finally said as he tied the man's hands behind his back.  
  
He led Altaram out of the tent. Once the other men saw him like this, they turned and ran, leaving Sharak behind with Rick.  
  
Tarnay growled at this and ran into the tent with the prisoners.  
  
Marok and Catlanda watched her as she barged in and pushed them out of the way. She lifted the semi-conscious Ardeth to his feet and dragged him outside in the view of Rick. She pulled out a dagger and placed at Ardeth's throat.  
  
Rick stopped short once he saw his friend.  
  
"Ardeth," he said.  
  
"Put the sword and Spire down or else he will die right here and now," she ordered as Ardeth placed his hands on the hand around his neck.  
  
TBC... 


	9. The Spire Changes Hands Again Or Does It...

Ardeth was gasping for air as the woman was strangling him with her arm. He felt the cold blade of the dagger against his throat. He wished for this moment to end as well as the immense pain over his entire body.  
  
"Spire, can Catty and Marok get out of the tent?" Rick asked through gritted teeth.  
  
"Yes, they can. In fact, they are on their way as we speak," the Spire replied just as the two ran out.  
  
Tarnay looked back at them. She showed them the dagger in her hand and they stopped dead in their tracks.  
  
"He will die if you move any closer," she warned them as she prepared the dagger.  
  
Rick looked at the Spire in his hand. He couldn't say or do anything. His stare came to Catlanda.  
  
"Catty. She would know what to do in a situation like this and she knows how to use this thing better as well," he quietly said, innocently looking away.  
  
He waved his arms to get her attention and it successfully worked.  
  
"Catty, here! Catch!" he called over to her as he threw the Spire.  
  
All eyes were on it as it sailed through the air. It landed feet from the two Medjai. Catlanda eyed Tarnay before running for it. Tarnay stabbed Ardeth in the upper leg, letting him drop to the ground and began running for it as well. The two ran side by side for it before Tarnay dived and grabbed it.  
  
Catlanda grabbed onto it with both hands but it was jerked from her weak grasp as Marok and Sharak ran up to Ardeth.  
  
"It's mine. All I need now is for this man to tell it to listen to me," she laughed as she faced the American.  
  
She walked over to him as he carefull watched her.  
  
"Tell it to listen to me," she told him. "Now or else your friend dies here and now."  
  
Rick growled at what he had to do but he didn't want to see his friend die.  
  
"Spire, listen to..." Rick started, putting a hand out as an indication for her to tell him her name.  
  
"Tarnay," she told him, a huge grin on her face.  
  
"Rick, no! Don't do this! She'll kill us all!" cried Sharak  
  
"Tarnay from now on," Rick sighed as he put a hand over his eyes.  
  
The eyes glowed yellow. The two brothers groaned in disappointment.  
  
"It is done," the Spire said.  
  
"I knew he was not to be trusted since he was an outsider," Sharak snarled. "This proves my point and just when I was beginning to trust him and his wife and child."  
  
The four looked at the woman who was now laughing.  
  
"It's all mine. In my fingertips, there's unimaginable power," she cried.  
  
Her laughs turned to cries of pain as she threw the Spire to the sand. She held her hand as if it were in pain.  
  
"What did you do?" she demanded.  
  
"What? I didn't do anything," Rick replied, holding out his hands as if to say 'what'd I do?'  
  
"The Spire became really hot. I thought you said it would be under my control," she replied, showing him her hand.  
  
It was super red from where it had burned her.  
  
"He did tell you that it would listen to you from now on. But it was no longer under his control. It was under mine. I told it to burn you," came Catlanda's voice.  
  
Tarnay turned around and was very surprised.  
  
"All the Spire needed to become under my control again was my touch. Since I grabbed onto it before you pulled it away from me, it was much easier since you would still think Rick had control. Having you believe that made it easier to do something because you would've thought the eyes glowed for his command," Catlanda explained as she moved towards the woman. "Spire, bind her, call a horse and put both her and Altaram on it. We're taking them back with us."  
  
As this was happening, Rick ran over to Ardeth and the brothers.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" he asked.  
  
"Help me get him on his stomach. I need to check his back," Marok gasped.  
  
"Why? There's nothing wrong with him except the injuries he suffered..." started Sharok.  
  
He stopped when he saw all the whip marks on Ardeth's back.  
  
"Come on, let's get him up on a horse," Rick told them.  
  
They slowly lifted Ardeth as a horse ran up to them. It was Geb. It was as if he knew something was wrong. Rick raised his eyebrows at the horse.  
  
"Can't go wrong with this," he said as they put hin on and held him there.  
  
Catlanda ran over to them and climbed onto the horse.  
  
"I knew you'd want to do this. Especially since he's your horse," Rick said , rolling his eyes.  
  
She smiled before she led Geb on his way. The three watched her go.  
  
"Let's just hope she can get there in time to save him," Sharak said to noone in particular.  
  
"I know she will. Come on, let's get these two back where they can be dealt with properly," Rick told him as he held onto Sharak's arm.  
  
***  
  
Catlanda galloped closer towards the village, using the Spire as a map.  
  
"Spire, where are we now?" she asked.  
  
"We should soon be in sight of the tribe," it replied.  
  
Catlanda looked up ahead to see that the Spire was right. She suddenly heard a groan behind her. Ardeth was laying across her back.  
  
"Ardeth, what's wrong?" she frantically asked him.  
  
She didn't get an answer. She anticipated that. But when she heard gasping, she grew scared.  
  
"Oh no. Ardeth, don't leave me now!" she cried.  
  
She encouraged Geb on his way but the horse was growing very tired.  
  
They were almost to the village when the horse had to stop. Geb fell to the ground, taking his two riders with him. Catlanda gasped in pain from her shoulder. She looked over at Ardeth and slowly crawled over to him.  
  
***  
  
Since Alex was playing with the other children in the tribe, Evie patiently sat on the bed in her tent when she decided to walk outside and get some fresh air.  
  
A Medjai passed her as she looked around the place. Everybody was milling about, talking to each other. Two older women passed Evie and they were talking about Ardeth.  
  
"It's sad. Ardeth can not bear to see that child of his harmed in any way," one said.  
  
"It's true but it's part of that promise he made Cathanak many years ago," replied the other.  
  
Evie hurried over to them.  
  
"Excuse me. But is it about this promise?" she asked them.  
  
The two women stared at each other before returning their gaze back to Evie.  
  
"You mean Ardeth didn't tell you? I knew he told you what happened to Catlanda's parents, no wait. I guess not. It's not something he usually likes to tell anyway. Even to his friends. He made a promise to Cathanak, Catlanda's father soon after she was born that if anything should happen to him, or both her parents, that he would take care of her no matter what. Ardeth upholds that promise and will continue to do so, even if it costs him his life. He told me so himself," the one explained.  
  
"And how do you know this?" Evie demanded.  
  
"Why, I'm her grandmother. Iscantil," she said with a smile. "This is Ayanna. Ardeth's mother. She considers Catlanda as much as her granddaughter as Ardeth does his daughter."  
  
TBC... 


	10. At the Place You Call Home

Evie gasped at the thought of Ardeth dying. She couldn't believe it as she walked towards the outskirts of the tents.  
  
She gazed out onto the vast desert, wondering where the travellers all were until her sight came to several figures laying on the desert floor.  
  
Her eyes opened wide when she saw two people were clothed in black. The third appeared to be a horse, its belly rising up and down.  
  
She watched as the smaller of the two figures tried to drag the obviously larger figure across the sand. She squinted her eyes to see the Spire on the sand beside them in Isis' mouth.  
  
"Iscantil! Ayanna! Come quick! It's Ardeth and Catlanda!" cried Evie as she started to run.  
  
Ayanna and Iscantil came running out of their tents to see Evie running out into the desert for the small group in the distance. They ran over to them as well to see Catlanda struggling to drag Ardeth in the direction of the tents in front of her.  
  
"Help," she quietly said to them.  
  
The two Medjai women took Ardeth away from her as Evie started to help her. Isis stayed closeby her with the Spire. Geb also stayed nearby them as they hurried back to the camp as quickly as they possibly could.  
  
***  
  
The older women placed Ardeth in a bed on his side once they got into Iscantil's tent, which was the closet one.  
  
The two grimly looked at the stab wound in his leg and whip wounds on his back.  
  
"We have to stop the bleeding immediately," Ayanna told her friend, who nodded.  
  
***  
  
Rick, Sharak and Marok were almost at the tribe. There was a silence between the three of them on the long and slow trek. On horses behind them, were Tarnay and Altaram, bound, gagged and blindfolded.  
  
"We're almost there. Then we'll get to see how Ardeth is doing," Sharak said.  
  
"Of course. The guy's been through a lot. He's been hurt both physically and mentally both now and a few months ago," Rick told him, refering to that incident in London.  
  
"Yes, yes that. He was almost fully healed until this happened," replied the Medjai in an angry voice and turning his head away.  
  
Rick watched him carefully and narrowed his eyes in confusion.  
  
"What's wrong? Is there something you need to tell me?" Rick asked him.  
  
"No, it's nothing really," rmumbled Sharak.  
  
"Sharak, say whatever you need to say. I've been around you too long to know that you will not be quiet about this once he leaves," Marok told him.  
  
"Wise beyond your years. Yes, I would like to say something Rick O'Connell. You nearly got us killed back there. I know Catlanda had the situation under control after the fact, I still do not like the way you simply gave the Spire over to her, knowing she would have much powere at her fingertips," Sharak said.  
  
Rick became angry with this statement.  
  
"Listen Sharak, I know you're the second-in-command and all that but I think you desperately need a reality check. Ardeth's my friend. Now I'm not going to see him get killed over something so unimportant when you think about it," Rick replied.  
  
Marok's eyes widened in surprise as the two before him were locked in a staring contest.  
  
"Calm down, both of you. You're acting like children. I'm not asking you to become friends, just don't go at each other's throats. I'm worried about Ardeth just as much as both of you. Please get along until we get back to the tribe at least," Marok told them, his horse walking between theirs and continued on towards his home.  
  
The two watched at him in amazement.  
  
"Imagine, he's my younger brother and he's telling ME what to do," Sharak sighed as they continued on.  
  
***  
  
Catlanda watched as the two women tended to Ardeth. His leg was wrapped up in bandages and so what his entire torso from the whip lashes. His eyes were closed and his breathing heavy. A blanket covered his body.  
  
"He's in bad shape Cat. He's lost quite a bit of blood again. All we can do now is wait and see what happens," Iscantil told her granddaughter as they stood by his bed.  
  
Catlanda sat down by the bed and placed her good arm on the side, looking at the man she called father. Tears started to fall down her face.  
  
"Why does it have to be like this Grandmother? Why does he have to be harmed protecting me?" she wondered, Isis walking up behind her.  
  
She crawled in beside her master and whimpered.  
  
"Evelyn will be in after a while to see him so don't be surprised when she does come in," Iscantil told her as she put a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder.  
  
Catlanda nodded as she continued to watch Ardeth sleep soundly. She never noticed Iscantil walk out of the tent.  
  
***  
  
The three men rode into the Medjai camp to be greeted by Evie.  
  
"Evelyn. How's he doing?" Rick asked her as he climbed off the horse and walked over to her.  
  
"Not good. They're not sure what's going to happen yet. The tribe doesn't even know what happened to him yet although there will be asking soon. I know it," Evie replied as they hugged each other.  
  
"Let's go see him then," Rick suggested to her and she nodded.  
  
***  
  
Catlanda was still there when they walked inside.  
  
"Hi," she dejectedly said.  
  
"Catlanda, this must be hard for you," Rick told her as he knelt by her.  
  
"Hard? You think it's hard to cope with this? He hurts all over and I can feel it. He was even hiding some of his injuries again, which is like him sometimes so I don't have to worry and he suffers quietly through the pain because of it," she snorted.  
  
"He has? Where?" wondered Evie. "There's the lashes, the stab wound in his leg. Then there's that wound across his shoulders..."  
  
"He has bad bruising on the upper part of his legs, right here," she interrupted, pointing near the groin area.  
  
Rick shuddered as she did so.  
  
"That must have hurt and it explains why he wasn't walking properly," Rick muttered to himself.  
  
He gave her a hug.  
  
"He'll be alright. Just wait and see," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"I hope so," she agreed as she stroked Isis' head.  
  
TBC... 


	11. Whatever Happens

Author's Note- Do you really say 'poor Ardeth' a lot? (To be honest with you, I never noticed it until you said it). And thanks for the reviews both Deana and Mommints. I'll shut up now and continue on with this thing.  
  
*******  
  
Evie sat quietly by Ardeth's side as he soundly slept. Catlanda had fallen asleep on the floor.  
  
Ayanna walked insode an up to Evie.  
  
"Evelyn, how are they doing?" she asked.  
  
"They're fine. She's exhausted and he hasn't changed at all. He's still sleeping," she replied.  
  
"We should soon wake him up. If he stays the way he is, he might not wake up for a long time," the Medjai woman told her.  
  
As if on cue, Ardeth gave a quiet groan. Evie gently held onto his shoulder.  
  
"Ardeth, can you hear me?" she asked him with a soft voice.  
  
"Evelyn," escaped his dry throat.  
  
"Yes, it's me. What is it?" she replied.  
  
"Catlan..." he started.  
  
"Don't worry about her. She's safe thanks to you," Evie told him as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
He looked at her before he gave a small smile.  
  
"Evelyn, water," he said.  
  
"Oh yes, of course!" she cried, reaching for a canteen.  
  
He held it up to his mouth as he started to swallow some water. He stopped and laid his head back down on the pillow.  
  
"I think he's exhausted as well from the long trip back here," Ayanna said to Evie.  
  
Evie nodded before deciding to get up and leave the tent with her.  
  
Isis watched them go, her tail bouncing back and forth, a look on her face that read curiousity all over it.  
  
She walked over to her master, who was still asleep. The cat walked out of the tent and to a small group of Medjai, who were standing outside a tent.  
  
One looked over at her.  
  
"Isis, come here kitty," he said, bending down.  
  
He stroked her head while she purred.  
  
"Have you come to see the prisoners Isis? Well, you can if you want to," he told her.  
  
Isis walked into the tent and sat down, carefully watching the two in front of her. Altaram looked over at her. Neither him or Tarnay said anything the entire time the cat was there.  
  
When she finally walked out she was growling. The men were slightly confused as she walked back to the tent Ardeth and Catlanda were in. She was awake and held the Spire.  
  
"Thanks for being my eyes Isis," she quietly thanked her, scratching the cat's chin.  
  
Ardeth awoke at that moment and slightly lifted himself up. He gave a smile as he gazed over her.  
  
"If you really want to do it, you can," he told her.  
  
"Thanks Father. Spire, we have two prisoners here in the camp. Altaram and Tarnay," she said.  
  
"Yes. What can I do?" asked the Spire.  
  
"Strangle them with their binds," she ordered.  
  
For the first few moments, nothing was heard by either of them. Then came the screaming and shouts. Ardeth laid his sore body back down on the bed as Catlanda stayed by the bed.  
  
"If anyone asks Dad, I didn't do it," she told him.  
  
He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"You didn't do what?" he asked with a yawn.  
  
Catlanda gave a smile as he closed his eyes.  
  
"Ardeth," she said.  
  
"Yes?" he said.  
  
"Could you promise me one thing?" she asked.  
  
"What is it that you want?" Ardeth wondered.  
  
"Please don't get killed when I'm involved. I want you to live a good life," she said.  
  
Ardeth inwardly smiled at this.  
  
"I promise," he said before falling back asleep.  
  
The End 


End file.
